Setting the Stage with a Positive First Impression

Setting the Stage with a Positive First Impression

By Keith Loria

In today’s competitive real estate market, you only have one chance to make a positive first impression, making it more important than ever that your home’s exterior is visually appealing. One simple way to up the ante? A beautifully landscaped yard.

When it comes to the lawn itself, the best way to keep it looking attractive is by mowing regularly. Typically the most prominent visual aspect of your landscaping setup, make sure you don’t cut the grass super short. Instead, set the mower so that it keeps the grass higher, as this will keep it healthier. In addition to mowing regularly, it’s also important to irrigate, fertilize and aerate the lawn.

Effective watering is another crucial piece of the process, as poor watering habits can lead to various problems, from harmful insects to disease. Although your instinct may be to give your lawn a drink during the middle of the day when sunshine is aimed on the grass, it’s actually best to water the lawn in the early morning or evening when temperatures are cooler.

When watering the lawn, be sure to position sprinklers so that the water covers the entire lawn. It’s also important to avoid having water hit your driveway or the street, as this wastes water. And if you have prospective buyers coming to look at the house, you don’t want them to have to run through a sprinkler to get to your door.

Perhaps the most important rule of thumb is to keep your landscaping simple. This means getting rid of lawn ornaments and making sure your garden beds are colorful and well-maintained. While adding fresh mulch is a nice touch, you don’t want prospective buyers to be intimidated by your landscaping, so your flower beds should be done in a way where they appear to be easy to maintain.

Trees and shrubs are another element that can add beauty to a home, but make sure they’re well maintained. Shrubs and bushes should be trimmed so that they’re not encroaching on walkways or the front porch. Trees should also be under control. Branches can grow and hang low, and the last thing you want is for a prospective buyer to walk into a low branch as they tour the property.

And last but not least, keep your home lit at night to highlight these exterior features. You never know when prospective buyers might be driving by, and this could be that special touch that helps finalize a sale.

For more information about making a positive first impression, contact our office today.